Heaven on Christmas
by xHandWhistlerx
Summary: It's Christmas time in the Mushroom Kingdom, and Daisy wants Ludwig to be a part of it.


**Heaven on Christmas**

" So are you ready for Christmas?" Daisy asked of the blue-haired koopa.

" Hm? Oh, sure." Ludwig said drowsily; he lay with his head in Daisy's lap, and he had begun to nap as she ran her fingers through his hair.

She smiled with a tiny laugh. " That's good. Have you gotten anything for anybody yet?"

Ludwig furrowed his eyebrows. He had never given anyone anything for Christmas; he was always on the receiving end. He never usually participated in the event, anyway.

" You haven't have you? I thought that you _never_ procrastinated." Daisy said sarcastically.

It had been seven years since Ludwig had rescued the princesses from his father. He had never gone back to his home castle, and had made certain that every one of his family members thought that he had died trying to find them, all those winters ago. Bowser had not attempted to recapture the princesses since then. The two lovebirds were twenty-four years old.

" Master Ludwig. Mistress Daisy. Dinner has been served." A toad servant informed them before hastily leaving them for some other chore.

As they walked to the dining hall, Ludwig asked why Daisy was so concerned about it.

" Well, I guess I just really want you to be a part of it this year. You're family now, after all. You _should _be with us on Christmas." She said, squeezing his arm.

He sighed. " Alright, I'll try to think of something for everyone…"

" You don't have to buy for _everyone_." She said. " How about we just exchange a gift between ourselves for the first year? Until you get the hang of giving presents, anyway."

They agreed and they ate dinner with the family. Afterwards, they drifted back to the library, their usual hangout.

They sat in front of the fire together, Daisy resting on Ludwig's shoulder.

" I love you." She said, snuggling close to him.

He smiled at the words. " And I love you." He kissed the top of her head, breathing in her beautiful scent. And just like that, he knew exactly what to get her for Christmas.

**. . .**

Christmas day came quickly; snow covered the ground, sparkling in the golden sunlight. Red and green adorned the walls, and towering pine trees, dressed for the occasion, stood in nearly every room of the castle. Wrapping paper littered the floor about the tree in the library, where everyone had gathered to tear open their presents.

" Well? Do you like it?" Daisy squealed as Ludwig opened his present; it was a handsome redwood violin, shining and sparkling in the flickering light. Ludwig's name was written in ornate cursive along the bottom in gold. It was the most beautiful instrument Ludwig had ever held.

" Yes." He whispered, holding it gently in his hands, wide-eyed. He placed the bow upon its silvery strings and played a few notes: flawless as siren song.

" This is the most wonderful instrument, Daisy. I…I can't even begin…" Ludwig stammered.

She clasped her hands and smiled broadly. " I told you he'd like the redwood, dad."

" Bah." Luigi waved the comment away like a pesky bug.

" Alright, Ludwig's turn!" Peach said, excited to see what he had come up with.

Ludwig grasped Daisy's hand. " It's outside! Come on!" Luigi winked at him.

They ran through the hallways together, hand in hand, feeling like silly school children rushing home for summer break. They ran out to the courtyard, where the magnificent fountain stood frozen in place. It glittered in the sunlight, like all the snow around it.

" Ludwig, what is it? I don't see anything." Daisy gasped, breath swirling around her in a haze.

" Isn't this fountain beautiful? The way it shines…like diamonds." He smiled, holding her hand tightly. " You can almost see Heaven inside. What does it look like, Daisy?"

She was confused. " Well…uh. There's clouds…and angels with harps. Lots of light, warm light." She looked to him. " What do you see?"

" I see a blue sky, and willow trees with white flowers. There is a path between them, and it's golden and warm." He gazed at the ice, heart racing. " I'm standing at the end of it, waiting. It's quiet and no one else is there." He slowly knelt to the ground, the icy snow shocking his heart to a higher tattoo. " Daisy, my Heaven is incomplete without you. Will you walk down the path with me?" He brought out a black box, opened it. " Will you marry me?"

Daisy had been crying for a while now. She slowed her breathing as best she could and replied. " Yes. Of course I will."

With that, he slipped the ring onto her shaking finger. It glittered there in the frigid sunlight, like tiny sliver of Heaven, just for her.

He stood again and embraced her tightly, spinning with her in his arms. They held each other closely, promising to never let go and to create a love that would never, ever die.

**Just a quick story for Christmas. Hope you guys like it and give me loads of reviews!** :)


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